Role of Dignity in Mental Healthcare: Impact on Ageism and Human Rights of Older Persons

Dignity of Older Persons With Mental Health Conditions: Why Should Clinicians Care?

“…Both ageist attitudes and consequent elder abuse have peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic and their intersections with human rights crisis, marginalization and loss of dignity in older people are quite prominent (43)(44)(45). Banerjee et al (46) propose the complex interplay of ageism (and other forms of discrimination in older people), self-stigma, health inequality, and elder abuse that leads to compromised dignity which in association with factors such as frailty, dependence, social isolation and medical morbidities lead to "human rights crisis" in older people. The processes of "rudeness, dismissal, indifference, disregard, objectification, condescension, intrusion, restriction, labeling, discrimination, contempt, deprivation, abjection, revulsion, and assault" lead to violation of dignity in healthcare and reinforce ageist behaviors in the service providers (47).…”

“…A review of empirical and theoretical literature on dignity in the care of older people revealed that staff attitudes and behavior, environment, culture of care, specific care activities and staff training form the major factors in deciding personal dignity. Sense of purpose and need for recognition in daily life were important considerations for dignity while in mental healthcare there was a constant tussle between degree of dignity and autonomy especially in severe mental illness and dementia ( 37 , 43 , 46 ). The practical wisdom of mental health professionals, social workers, case managers and policy makers and their perceptions about what constitutes dignity are vital in determining the operational interventions at place in mental healthcare settings for older people ( 37 , 46 ).…”

“…Sense of purpose and need for recognition in daily life were important considerations for dignity while in mental healthcare there was a constant tussle between degree of dignity and autonomy especially in severe mental illness and dementia ( 37 , 43 , 46 ). The practical wisdom of mental health professionals, social workers, case managers and policy makers and their perceptions about what constitutes dignity are vital in determining the operational interventions at place in mental healthcare settings for older people ( 37 , 46 ).…”

Successful Aging Among Older LGBTQIA+ People: Future Research and Implications

“…A human rights framework based on human dignity is critical to bringing about change in promoting the well-being of older LGBTQIA+ people. The dignity of older people is a multidimensional construct that involves self-respect, social acknowledgment, independence, and privacy ( 53 ), but which can be negatively affected by ageism, homophobia, biphobia, or transphobia. For this reason, an approach based on human dignity will be fundamental.…”

Investigating the Relationship Between Perception and Attitude With Responsibility for Elderly Care in Nurses of Emergency Wards of Ardabil Hospitals in 2020

“…Rogers et al in the United States found out that one in 17 adults over the age of 50 experiences repeated discrimination in receiving health care, which is associated with the possibility of 4 years of new disability or worsening of the condition ( Rogers et al, 2015 ). Age discrimination in patients increases the length of hospital stay and creates a negative attitude in people towards themselves and also reduces their participation in self-care ( Banerjee et al, 2021 ). Hence, by recognizing the factors affecting responsibility for aging, information can be obtained to improve their healthcare ( Donizzetti, 2019 ).…”